The Stooges - Fun House Album Listening Party

Deluxe Editions of The Stooges and Fun House Featuring Rarities and Unreleased Tracks Available From Rhino August 16

LOS ANGELE - The Stooges’ provocative mix of aggressive nihilism and primal rhythms scared the hell out of America when the Detroit quartet - led by the legendary Iggy Pop - careened onto the music scene in 1969. The few brave souls who didn’t flee in terror from the sound were lucky witnesses to the dawning of punk rock. Rhino Records pays tribute to the band with deluxe editions of the proto-punk trailblazer’s THE STOOGES and the group’s classic follow-up, FUN HOUSE.

Each expanded and remastered two-disc set includes the original album along with a bonus disc filled with rarities and unissued tracks. Both sets are available August 16 at regular retail outlets

The Stooges - vocalist Iggy Pop (then known as Iggy Stooge); bassist Dave Alexander; guitarist Ron Asheton and his brother Scott on drums - helped spark a music revolution with the band’s raging music and unpredictable shows. Pop provided a mesmerizing focal point with his apocalyptic lyrics, sneering delivery and confrontational performances. Drenched in overdriven fuzztone and wah-wah, Ron Asheton’s unhinged solos added a menacing attitude, while Alexander and Scott Asheton joined together to create a relentless battering ram of rhythm.

The band’s self-titled, John Cale-produced 1969 debut features the classics “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “1969” and “Real Cool Time.” The bonus disc is filled with ten previously unissued tracks including Cale’s original mixes of “Little Doll,” “1969,” “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “No Fun,” three alternate vocal takes including “Not Right,” plus the full version of “No Fun.”

The band returned a year later with FUN HOUSE, which better captured The Stooges’ fierce energy as a live band and boasted stronger songs. Despite being virtually ignored upon its release, the album went on to become an underground classic powered by the unbridled energy of “Loose,” “1970” and “L.A Blues.” The bonus disc includes more than an hour of rarities only available on the long out-of-print 1970: TheComplete Fun House Sessions from Rhino Handmade. The bonus disc includes demos of “Lost In The Future” and “Slide (Slidin’ The Blues)” (two songs that did not appear on the original album), different takes of “T.V. Eye,” “Loose,” and “Down On The Street” along with bonus single mixes for “Down On The Street” and “1970.”

Both releases feature lavish booklets including rare photos, extensive liner notes and introductions penned by two Detroit rock legends. Ben Edmonds provides the liner notes for THE STOOGES with an introduction from Alice Cooper, while Paul Trynka contributes the liners for FUN HOUSE and Jack White (The White Stripes) provides the introduction. “Fun House is to me the very definition of Detroit rock ’n’ roll,” White notes. “A milestone in rock ’n’ roll so overlooked it’s despicable.”